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Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Gasses from batteries



Hydrocap (assuming that they are still there and functioning) in Miami have caps that use a recombination element to combine the H and O together to make water which drains back down into the battery.  They are about $6.00 each and well worth it.  When batteries sit or have a drain placed on them they also give off both hydrogen and oxygen but in much smaller quantities.  You can use the caps to denote when the charge begins to reach completion as they get warmer due to increased recombination.  I have thought of gluing a sensor onto each cap to monitor battery condition.  Such temperature sensors are cheap but would require wiring attachments and a multiplexer to monitor all the cells.

G. Boucher

At 06:21 PM 5/23/01, you wrote:
Very true and acurate Ken
Herve
 
----- Original Message -----
From: Subscuba@aol.com
To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2001 8:56 PM
Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Gasses from batteries

David,

For what it's worth:

During overcharge the electrolyte composed of a dilute solution of sulfuric
acid decomposes this electrolyte and gives off Oxygen at one plate and
Hydrogen at the other plate. The escaping gases also carry off small traces
of the sulfuric acid which is mostly what you smell.

The bad thing for a sub is that these gases Hydrogen and Oxygen form an
explosive mixture which when ignited go boom or in the case of the Shuttle
give propulsion. Cases where lead acid batteries go boom is when the
batteries are being overcharged and then a surge is drawn from the battery
which can cause sparks with bad connections or degraded battery current
conductors. This can and does happen when automotive batteries go bang.

Good luck,

Ken Martindale